Not hearing you...

Amos 5:23,24-"Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Webster says that justice is 'a being righteous; fairness, being correct, sound reason; rightfulness; reward or penalty as deserved; the use of authority to uphold what is right, just, or lawful.

And righteousness is 'acting in a just, upright manner; virtuous; morally right or justifiable.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Without righteousness and justice in our midst-
our home, school, community, church, nation-
our acts of worship-
praying, fasting, giving, singing-
are abhorrent to God
and He will not hear us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sobering words for sobering times.

Old Treasures and New

When I read the Bible, I often ask God to show me something new.

Sometimes I feel let down if that doesn't happen.

But then it came to me, yesterday, after experiencing this,
that the reading and meditating on Scripture is not always
about a revelation of a new thing, but is often
a reminder of an old thing.

I thought back on what I read
and instead of feeling disappointed,
I became thankful.

Thankful for the reminder
that He has come to give me life,
and that more abundantly.

Thankful that He is the vine-
drawing nourishment from the earth
and imparting life to all of His branches,
whose job in life is to remain attached to Him.

Thankful for the reminder that he who passes
by and meddles in an argument not his own
is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
(My Grandpa Landis would do this with
Charcoal, our cocker spaniel.
Charcoal would snarl and try to bite
Grandpa's meddling hands away from
his poor dog ears.)

Thankful that the Lord does nothing
unless He reveals His secret to His servants,
the prophets.

Thankful that He wants to reveal His
Son in me.

We read things we've read before,
hoping to see something new,
but really, most of the time,
we need to be reminded of what we know.

Old truths are just as valuable as a new revelation.

And just because we 'know' something,
doesn't mean that it's become
an integal part of who we are.

Just because I ate mashed potato soup once
doesn't mean that I don't want to eat it again.

Each time I eat it, it provides some sort of
nourishment to my body.
and gives much warmth to my soul,
especially when eaten as a traditional
lunch with a dear friend.

And, I might add,
when one reads and meditates on
the familiar words of God,
one can more easily recognize the
introduction of a foreign gospel,
just as when a unsavory herb is introduced
into one's familiar potato soup
and so changes the integrity of the recipe.

So, enjoy the new revelations God gives
you as you read the Scriptures
but do not negate the familiar words
that add cement to your already
firm foundation.

Both are very important.

Greatness

I've been thinking about greatness and humility.

It was a few days before Jesus death and He was trying to warn the disciples about what was going to take place.

Have you ever tried to tell your child some particularly bad news? Sometimes, we speak in the third person when we have something difficult to say. Instead of saying, "I am going away," we say, "Mommy has to go away for awhile." It seems to cushion our words and make them not so personal.

Jesus did the same thing. He said,"The Son of Man will be delivered up by evil men...and He will be crucified...and rise again on the third day," instead of saying, "I am going to die." But the disciples didn't get it. They started talking about who would be greatest in the kingdom. They had selective hearing.

I think it is interesting that Jesus didn't scold them for wanting to be great. He said,"If you want to be great, then be the servant of all."

There is a verse in Philippians 2:3,4 that reads, "...let each esteem others better than himself....look out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others." Jesus did this when His disciples wanted to discuss greatness rather than sympathize with what He was facing. He esteemed their needs and talked about their greatness instead of His death.

John the Baptist said that Jesus was preferred before him and that Jesus must increase and that he, John, must decrease. He finished out his service to Christ in jail and was then beheaded. But he's not in jail now. I am sure he would tell us it was worth it all.

The other day I was at Walmart and there was a lady in front of me checking out and I thought, "This woman is better than myself. Her interests are more important." And I didn't feel put down. I felt free.

Now I am working on applying this at home.

I would like to be great, I think. At least in God's eyes. I'd like Him to slap His Father on the shoulder and say, "Look at her! Isn't she great?!" I think He might do that when no one else sees what I am doing. I think He might do that when He sees me preferring my husband's desires over my own. I think He might do that when I think the right way. I think He might do that when I realize that the least one in the kingdom of God is even greater than John the Baptist.

Everyone matters. Everyone counts. And they are better than I am and their desires are more important than mine.

The upside down Kingdom looks like the King of Kings taking a towel and washing His disciples feet. And we get to do the same in remembrance of Him.